In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of $1,000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel.
1908年，诺斯克利夫勋爵拿出1,000英镑，作为对第一个飞越英吉利海峡的人的奖励。
Over a year passed before the first attempt was made.
然而一年多过去了才有人出来尝试。
On July 19th, 1909, in the early morning, Hubert Latham took off from the French coast in his plane the \'Antoinette IV.\'
1909年7月19日凌晨，休伯特.莱瑟姆驾驶“安特瓦特4号”飞机从法国海岸起飞，
He had travelled only seven miles across the Channel when his engine failed and he was forced to land on the sea.
但他只在海峡上空飞行7英里，引擎就发生了故障，他只好降落在海面上。
The \'Antoinette\' floated on the water until Latham was picked up by a ship.
“安特瓦特”号飞机在海上漂浮，后来有船经过，莱瑟姆方才获救。
Two days later, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called \'No. XI\'.
两天之后，路易斯.布莱里奥驾驶一名为“11号”的飞机来到加来附近。
Bleriot had been making planes since 1905 and this was his latest model.
布莱里奥从1905年起便开始研制飞机，“11号”飞机是他制作的最新型号。
A week before, he had completed a successful overland flight during which he covered twenty-six miles.
一周以前，他曾成功地进行了一次26英里的陆上飞行。
Latham, however, did not give up easily.
但是莱瑟姆不肯轻易罢休。
He, too, arrived near Calais on the same day with a new \'Antoinette\'.
同一天，他驾驶一架新的“安特瓦特”号飞机来到了加来附近。
It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel.
看来会有一场激烈的飞越英吉利海峡的竞争。
Both planes were going to take off on July 25th,
两天飞机都打算在7月25日起飞，
but Latham failed to get up early enough,
但莱瑟姆那天起床晚了。
After making a short test flight at 4:15 a.m., Bleriot set off half an hour later.
布莱里奥凌晨4点15分作了一次短距离试飞，半小时后便正式出发了。
His great flight lasted thirty-seven minutes.
他这次伟大的飞行持续37分钟。
When he landed near Dover, the first person to greet him was a local policeman.
当他在多佛着陆后，第一个迎接他的是当地一名警察。
Latham made another attempt a week later and got within half a mile of Dover, but he was unlucky again.
莱瑟姆一周以后也作了一次尝试，飞到离多佛不到半英里的地方。这次他又遭厄运，
His engine failed and he landed on the sea for the second time.
因引擎故障第二次降落在海面上。
New words and expressions 生词和短语
pioneer
n. 先驱
lord
n. 对（英国）贵族的尊称；勋爵
Calais
n. 加来（法国港市）
overland
adj. 陆上的
Notes on the text课文注释
1 the English Channel, 英吉利海峡。
大西洋延伸的部分，长约350英里（约560公里），将英法两国的领土分开。
2 Over a year passed before the first attempt was made.
一年多时间之后，才有人进行第一次尝试。
3 pick up此处作“（从海里）救起”解。
4 did not give up easily, 不轻易作罢。
give up当“放弃”讲。
5 It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel. 看起来似乎有一场精采的飞越英吉利海峡的比赛。as if引导的从句作起系动词作用的look的表语，其中谓语动词 would be表示与未来的事实不相符的虚拟结构。
Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
两百年前，拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。
In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.
当时，拳击手们不戴手套，为争夺奖金而搏斗。
Because of this, they were known as \'prizefighters\'.
因此，他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
不过，拳击是十分野蛮的，因为当时没有任何比赛规则，职业拳击手有可能在比赛中受重伤，甚至丧命。
One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
拳击史上最引人注目的人物之一是丹尼尔.门多萨，他生于1764年。
The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
1860年昆斯伯里侯爵第一次为拳击比赛制定了规则，拳击比赛这才用上了手套。
Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
虽然门多萨严格来讲不过是个职业拳击手，但在把这种粗野的拳击变成一种体育运动方面，他作出了重大贡献。是他把科学引进了这项运动。
In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
门多萨在的全盛时期深受大家欢迎，无论是富人还是穷人都对他祟拜备至。
Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。
This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.
这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.
他主动提出教授门多萨，而年少的门多萨一学就会。
In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
事实上，门多萨不久便名声大振，致使汉弗莱斯与他反目为敌。
The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
两个人争吵不休，显而易见，只有较量一番才能解决问题。
A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场，厮打了一个小时。
The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上，但他却输了。
Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
后来，门多萨与汉弗莱斯再次在拳击场上较量，门多萨又输了一场。
It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.
直到1790年他们第3次对垒，门多萨才终于击败汉弗莱斯，成了全英拳击冠军。
Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
同时，他建立了一所拳击学校，办得很成功，连拜伦勋爵也成了他的学生。
He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱，一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
尽管收入不少，但他挥霍无度，经常债台高筑。
After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
他因无力还债而被捕入狱，最后于1836年在贫困中死去。
New words and expressions 生词和短语
Boxing
n. 拳击
boxer
n. 拳击手
bare
adj. 赤裸的
prizefighter
n. 职业拳击手（尤指古时赤手拳击手）
crude
adj. 粗野的
marquis
n. 侯爵
technically
adv. 严格根据法律意义地
science
n. 科学
popularity
n. 名望
adore
v. 崇拜，爱戴
alike
adv. 一样地
fame
n. 名声
eminent
adj. 著名的，杰出的
bitterly
adv. 厉害地
bet
v. 打赌
academy
n. 专业学校
extravagant
adj. 浪费的，奢移的
poverty
n. 贫困
Notes on the text课文注释
1 they were known as ‘prizefighters’，他们被称作“职业拳击手”。 be known as…，被称作……。
2 until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules中，以when引导的从句是定语从句，修饰前面的年代 1860年。draw up是“制定”、“草拟”的意思。a set of，一套。 Marquis of Queensberry，昆斯伯里侯爵，是指第8位昆斯伯里侯爵约翰•修托•道格拉斯（1844—1900），苏格兰贵族。他制定的“昆斯伯里规则”至今仍是拳击的比赛规则。
3 change…into…，把……变成……，bring…to…，把……引进……。
4 in his day，在他的全盛时期。
day此处指“幸运或顺利的时期”。
5 He was adored by rich and poor alike. 人们不论贫富都很崇拜他。
rich and poor是固定词组，意为富人和穷人。有的形容词可用作名词，但前面要加the。
6 rise to fame，成名。
7 Humphries turned against him，汉弗莱斯与他反目为敌。
8 at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour中，以where引导的从句作Stilton的定语。
9 bet on…，在……上押（赌金）。
10 It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries…这是一个it的强调句。被强调的部分not until his third match in 1790放在It was之后，句子的其他部分放在引导词that之后。
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